#DeafU. I get what Tessa was saying. Deafies who can speak well do sometimes pander to hearing audiences which mean other content creators who don’t have speaking privileges get pushed aside.
As a deaf person who does not communicate verbally, I’ve been bypassed so many times by a hearing person who would rather talk to my deaf friends who speak. Hearing people don’t value me as much or show me as much respect.
Complain about deaf elite as much as you want - I’ve been there - but let’s be real, deaf people who speak well have more social currency with hearing people.
I personally don’t judge or hold any resentment against deaf people who speak well. It’s not their fault hearing people are like that. But it would be nice to acknowledge that the bias is real.
And did you know that Gallaudet is the onky place most deaf people have left in the world where they don’t get left out? Speaking leaves deaf people like me out. Communicate how you want, but don’t pretend you’re not leaving people like me out when you do.
I have to put up with being excluded in every area of my life and it hurts when deaf people won’t sign when I’m around. It’s a form of privilege. Please acknowledge that.
So.. speak away, be yourself, but guess what? You’re not the only deaf person who is hurting and is being excluded. The knife goes both ways. Everybody gets hurt.
And don’t come at me with some deaf elite stuff. I grew up mainstreamed and was shoved aside for deaf people who spoke well and then got shoved aside by asl speakers because I used signed English. I may have went to Gallaudet and a deaf school but I paid the price before I did.
I’ve only watched two episodes so far so don’t @ me. I just wanted my say. Just don’t play me and pretend that signing deafies have all the advantages and none of the downsides and that this doesn’t go both ways. DONE.
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